When Ravindra Jadeja trapped the Sri Lankan batter at Galle, it was not merely a shift in momentum for the match. The capture of the third wicket by the left-arm spinner heralded an era unrivaled by any of his predecessors. It marked Jadeja's entry into the pantheon of Indian cricket greats as the first-ever left-arm bowler to breach the 350-test-wickets barrier. But what makes this achievement even more impressive is that the man has done it twice! The milestone made him the first-ever Indian left-arm bowler to achieve this feat.
The Modern Vanguard of India
Ravindra Jadeja (351 Wickets | Avg: 25.06)
At the top of the pack, Jadeja remains India's best left-arm bowler. He has troubled the opposition batters with his ability to hit the stumps, short-pitched deliveries, and high pace since his debut in 2012. The left-arm speedster has an equal mix of bounce, pace, and dip to trouble the batsman on any surface. Also, with the second-lowest average, Jadeja's ability to take crucial scalps under pressure has seen him play 90 Test matches since his debut.
Also read: Ravindra Jadeja Enters Elite Test Club With 4,000 Runs and 350 Wickets
Zaheer Khan (311 Wickets | Avg: 32.94)
The legendary Zaheer Khan was the most successful fast bowler of India's cricketing history. With an extraordinary cricketing brain, Khan utilized the old ball's reverse swing to devastating effect. His ability to extract bounce and cut the ball over the wicket on flat surfaces led to his staggering success in 92 Test matches between 2000 and 2014.
The Spin Machine
Bishan Singh Bedi (266 Wickets | Avg: 28.71)
Former off-spinner Bishan Singh Bedi was one of the most prominent members of India's legendary spin quartet. He was one of the best exponents of the art of spin in the subcontinent, making the most of the ball's dip and flight to bewilder the opposition batters. Bedi's skills with the twine and the art of flight made him one of the most lethal bowlers in a team of stars that ruled the world from 1966 to 1979 in 67 Test matches.
Vinoo Mankad (162 Wickets | Avg: 32.32)
Vinoo Mankad was one of the best left-arm orthodox spinners of the game and one of the pioneers of Indian cricket. Mankad laid the foundation for Indian spin bowling by setting the standards for subsequent spinners. In a career that lasted from 1946 to 1959, the left-arm spinner troubled the world's elite batters with his high-quality left-arm orthodox spin in 44 Test matches.
Ravi Shastri (151 Wickets | Avg: 40.96)
India's former limited-overs captain and current coach Ravi Shastri was a handy left-arm spinner before his illustrious career behind the commentary desk. Shastri was a lethal bowler who bowled tightly knit spells to restrict the opposition scoring rate to a minimum and pick up vital wickets in 80 Test matches between 1981 and 1992.
Dilip Doshi (114 Wickets | Avg: 30.71)
Dilip Doshi's contribution of 114 wickets in 33 Test matches from 1979 to 1983 is undeniably impressive. Making his Test debut at the age of 32, Doshi displayed his exceptional bowling prowess to register the best figures of his career. He was among the most consistent spinners during his era, making the most of his tactical acumen to dismiss the best batters in the business.
Pragyan Ojha (113 Wickets | Avg: 30.26)
Pragyan Ojha was a genuine left-arm orthodox spinner who provided the Indian team with a reliable backup to the primary spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. He was a lethal bowler who displayed a consistent ability to fly the ball with conventional pace and extract sharp turn from the opposition surface. In just 24 Test matches, Ojha registered 113 wickets before retiring from international cricket between 2009 and 2013.
Pace Pioneers and Swing Sensations
Karsan Ghavri (109 Wickets | Avg: 33.54)
In an era ruled by spin, Ghavri provided much-needed variety as a left-arm paceman. He was a man of two roles – extracting bounce and penetration with the new ball or shifting to left-arm spin when the conditions demanded. The left-armer picked up 109 wickets in 39 Tests between 1974 and 1981.
Also read: How Manav Suthar's BCCI CoE Training Helped Him Shine With Four Wickets in Galle
Irfan Pathan (100 Wickets | Avg: 32.26)
Irfan Pathan was the latest teenage sensation to grab the cricket world by storm in 2003. The young exponent of the art of late swing was just 19 when he took five consecutive wickets in his debut Test against Pakistan. In 29 matches, he added another 100 scalps to his bag, including a first-over hat-trick against the same opponent in 2006.